Sound-locating device.



N0. 63l,070. Patented Aug. l5` 1899. A. M. GODALE.

SOUND LOCATING DEVICE.

(Application filed Aug. 21, 1896.,

1 N o M o d e l Mr-masas ,Zh/ver( 0711" Jaffe, d m70 o Ozze NITED STATES? Fries,

souND-.LocATlNe n svlcs.

srncmca'rron refining pm of Letters Patent no. 631,079, dated August '15, ieee.

- Application Bled August 21, 189.8. l Serial No. 608.436 m0 111011610 To a/Z whom/.it may concern,-

-Be it known thatI, ALFRED M. GOODALE,

of Waltham, county of Middlesex,- and State.

of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sound-Locating Devices, of., which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings .representing like parts.

possible exactness, and without some means The present invention relates to a soundlocating de vice and is intended, mainly, for use on board ship to aid in distinguishing sounds and'determining from what point the said sounds proceed, so that the whistles or audible signals on other vessels or at points along the shore may be distinguished in case of fog when nothing can be seen.

l The .oicers of a ship when proceeding through adense fog are constantly on the alert for sounds, and it is essential that the sounds should belocated withthe greatest forcollectingthe sound and determining its direction of approach there is a severe strain upon the nerves, which is very exhausting,

-while it is obviously necessary to reduce speed, since the sounds cannot be heard until they are within dangerous proximity. To

collect `the soundsand make them more readily distinguishable, therefore, it is desirable to use some device in the'natnre of a soundthat with such a device sounds will only be heard to the best advantage if the sound-collector is turned to the direction of the point fromwhich the sound proceeds. If, therefore, a simple. funnel or ear-trumpet were used, it would be necessary in order to locate the sound to keep Achanging the position of said funnel. It is further desirable in order that the sound-collector maybe placed in the most advantageousposition to provide means for transmitting the Asounds therefrom to a convenient-place of observation-as, for example, the pilot-house.

-The present invention alms to render the use of sound-collecting devices practical and convenient; and it consists, mainly, in arranging a number of such devices pointed 1n dlierent directions, so that a sound proceeding from any quarter will be concentrated and brought in by one orthe other of these instruments; and it further consists in the combination, with such' an instrument, of means for transmitting the sounds from one or more of such instrumentsto the ear of the person whose duty it is to act upon information derived in this way, so thata sound comngfrom anypoint will be at once perceived.

In order to determine the locality of the sound, means are further provided for determining which instrument of a number pointed in different directions has received the sound vor the greater part thereof, and' consequently from what direction the sound proceeds.

In carrying out the invention, for example, in connectionwith a ship a number of soundconcentrating devices are preferably employed and fixed in any suitablepsition and arranged to point in dierent directions-for example, one 'pointing straight ahead, one toward the port side, and one toward the starboard sideand means are also provided for transmitting the sound from each or all of said instruments to a com mon point, telephone-transmitters being preferably used, and in conjunction with each transmitting device is a cutrot, so that by the manipulation of said cut-ods the comparative eect of a sound on the several collectors may be obrangement of sound-concentrating devices.

Fig. 2 fis a diagram viewl of a telephone-circuit, whereby thesound may be transmitted from said devices to a common point, and a switch for controlling the circuits to determine from which instrument the sound proceeds.,

As herein shown, the sound-collecting devices a, a2, and a3, which may be the wellknown megaphones, are arranged over the top of the pilot-house b, the device a pointing toward the bow of the ship, the one a2 pointing diagonally toward the port, andthe one as toward the starboard. It is obvious that any number of these instruments may be used, it being mainly essential, however, that IOO cenere fore as a practical illustration of the invention,

'in order that a sound Within the range of any or" 'the instruments may be perceived, means are provided for transmitting the sounds from any or all .o the instruments to common point, so that any sound will be perceived by the attendant at this point, the arrangement being such, however, that after a sound is perceived it is possible to deter` mine ircrn which instrument it mainly proseeds. i This be accomplished by providing a sound-transmitting device leading from each of the said instruments to a common point, telephone-transmitters c, c2, and c3 being hereinindicated, each of said transmitters corresponding to and being located at the apex oi one of the said collectors. The said transmitters are herein shown as all connected in multiple arc to the primary coil of atransformer d, the secondary of which is connected with a receiving instrument c, which may be of any suitable kind, said instrument being herein shown as provided with-a band orholding device e2, by which it may be secured to the head of the attendant after the manner or" receivers employed for continuous usei as, forl example, at'central telephone-oiiices.

lit is obvious, therefore, that any sound which is received and concentrated by any of the collectors a, a2, and a is transmitted through the telephone-circuit and at once perceived by the person using the device. Afterasound is perceived, however, it becomes necessary to locate the same, and this may be evidently accomplished by determining from which collector the sound mainly proceeds. To this end means are provided for cutting off the .transmission of sound from the said collectors successively, it being. obvious thatif the sound ceases upon cutting oi any one of the said instruments it must proceed wholly'from that collector the cutting off of which has caused its cessation, while in the case of-a sound coming from an intermediate point its direction can be ascertained by a comparison of its effect upon the several collectors, re.-

spectively.

When telephone-transmitters'are used, it is 'obvious that this may be accomplished by means of a suitable switch f, such a switch being herein shown as provided with contacts 1, 2, and 3, respectively connected with ono,

member of the transmitters c, c2, and ca, the other members of which are connected through-the local battery d2 with one terminal of the primary of the transformer d, the other terminal of which is connected to the movable switch member f. The said switch member, which is pivoted at f2, normally stands in the position shown in Fig. 2, the main portion of said switch member being of such shape as to bridge 'the contacts 2 and 3,

hinged to the memberf, is also incontactwith the'switch-terminal l. AWith the switch in this position, therefore, all three of the terminais are connected with the receivers e, so that a sound coming from any direction will ldhen a'sonnd is perceived, however, the opcrater, in order.to determine the location of the sound, may manipulate the switch as follows: By means of a handle or knob f4 the member f3 may be turned upon the hingejI against the stress o a suitable restoringspring; f6, and it is lifted out of contact with the terminal l, which is connected to the rethat if upon thus manipulating ,the member f3 the sound ceases or is largely diminished in volumeit mnst proceed troni directly ahead, or nearly so, having been mainly gathered and concentrated by the instrument a. lt such manipulationo the switch,- however,

crease of the sound, it is obvious that it -must proceed mainly from one of theothertwo instruments a2 or as, and to determine which of these it proceeds from the handle f4 may be moved to the right or to the left,thus swinging the member f upon its pivot f2, so as to cut oit' either the terminal 2 or the terminal 3. If, for example, the member fis moved to the right and cuts oi the terminal 2, it is obvious that if' the sound ceases it proceeds from the instrument a, while if it continues it proceeds from the instrument a3, no further manipulation of the switch being necessary.

By the use of an instrument of this kindit is obviousthat sounds proceeding from a long /distance o can 'be easily and clearly disaud their location determined by a. simple manipulation ci a suitable device, such as the switch hereinbefore described.

If desired, the switch mechanism or other controlling device for the several sound-trans-- mitters may be caused to cooperate with a visual signal which will indicate at a distance the direction from which the sound proceeds, as determined by the attendant who is in charge of the apparatus.

the specific construction and arrangementof the devices herein shown to illustrate the same, since it is obvious that the construction or nature of the several instumentalities which are combined to produce an operative be varied and the specific arrangement modied without departing from the invention.

l claim A l A sound-locating device, comprising the combination of two or more sound-collecting "devices, a telephone-transmitter for each of such devices, a telephone-receiver connected tinguishe'd without straining the attention' It is not intended to limit the invention to" While a supplemental switch member f3,

be perceived by the persen using the device.'

ceiver c at the instrument a, and itis obvious does not result in a cessation or material dedevice in accordance with the invention may with all of the several transmitters, and a name to this specification in the presence of switch interposed between the said transmittwo subscribing Witnesses. ters and the receiver and adaptedvto be operted by the user of the receiver to ascertain .ALFRED M GOODALE 5 the relative aotivitylof the transmitters, sub- Witnesses:

stantially as described. JAS. J. MALONEY,

In -testimony whereof .I have `signed my H.. J. LIVERMORE. 

